Not applicable.
1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to steel hair clips and other fasteners for holding a significant portion or all of a user""s hair in a styled position.
2. Description of Prior Art
Typically, people who have medium to long hair, at times, prefer to wear their hair styled back away from their face and/or up away from their neck. By doing so, people enjoy a quick, easy, and cooler alternative to styling their hair down.
People with inevitably different thicknesses of hair, tend to wear their hair back or up for a significant duration of time if not all day. It is therefore desirable that the hair clip is able to accommodate a variety of hair thicknesses, secure the hair well and provide a comfortable and nonthreatening home for hair.
Clothing stores, beauty supply stores, and supermarkets commonly sell steel hair clips such as the one shown in FIG. 1. These steel hair clips are large enough to hold a whole head of hair as well as supply a mount for a decorative design. While the decorative designs on these hair clips have evolved, minimal improvement to the hair clip itself has been achieved.
Originally, these hair clips were made in such a way that when they were applied, a pivotal lower arm 12, an upper arm 14, and a hinge 16 were in direct contact with the user""s hair. This design had three major drawbacks.
First, the antiquated hair clip exposed the hair to the hinge. This made it possible for strands of hair to get caught in or pinched by the hinge while the hair clip was in place. This catching or pinching of the hair likely resulted in hair being broken or damaged. If the hair clip slips or is removed from the user""s hair while hair strands are caught in the hinge, those strands will likely be broken, pulled, or pulled out.
Secondly, the hair clip had a strong tendency to slip down out of place. The steel adjoining arms in direct contact with the hair did not cohere to the hair nor did it compact the hair sufficiently, allowing the clip to slip during use. This slipping either reduced the aesthetic effect of the style that was achieved during the clip""s initial application or allowed the clip to slip off entirely, loosing all its effectiveness. Deteriorated style and diminished effectiveness reduced user satisfaction. Additionally, if strands of hair were caught in the hinge when the clip slipped, the user would experience pain and discomfort because of those strands being pulled or pulled out.
Thirdly, the hair clip did not fit well to a broad range of hair thicknesses. Due to the uncompressionable nature of the steel, there was little ability for the clip to adjust to varying thicknesses of hair. This being the case, the hair clip did not provide a snug fit to hair thinner than that for which the clip was originally designed. Because the clips were in essence too big for thin hair, accelerated slippage would occur. This accelerated slippage would shorten the time it took to damage, brake, pull, or pull out hair caught in the hinge. Here again, the slippage reduced the aesthetic effect and effectiveness, reducing user satisfaction of the clip.
Again, the prior art shown in FIG. 1 does not do anything to prevent hair from getting caught in the hinge. The steel arms do not cohere to the hair nor compress the hair. The clip does not fit a wide range of hair thicknesses, nor does it give the needed added stability to keep the hair clip in place for a sufficient period of use. This being the situation, the prior art does not secure the hair well nor does it provide comfort and a nonthreatening home for hair, diminishing aesthetics and user satisfaction.
The xe2x80x9chair clip inner protectorxe2x80x9d is a device for protecting and holding in place hair in a hair clip. It is material that is added to the clip which; protects hair from becoming caught or damaged by the hinge, coheres to the hair, and gives the hair clip a snugger fit to a broader range of hair thicknesses.
Accordingly, several objects and advantages of my invention are that it fits a broader range of hair thicknesses, makes the hair clip more comfortable, it stays in place better and it provides a nonthreatening home for hair.
A hair clip equipped with the inner protector provides a comfortable, safe haven for hair. With the inner protector hair will not get caught in the hinge and therefore will not be damaged or broken. And upon slippage, if any occurs, or removal of the clip, hair is not pulled or pulled out. The inner protector also adds comfort by buffering out the cold, stiff steel that used to touch up against the user""s neck or head. Instead the inner protector provides a soft, temperate feel.
A hair clip equipped with the inner protector fits a broader range of hair thicknesses. By adding a layer of compressionable material to the inside of the clip, the clip becomes better suited for medium to thin hair, and can still accommodate thick hair.
A hair clip equipped with the inner protector stays in place because the material of the protector coheres to hair and compacts the hair. The original steel did not cohere to the hair. However, materials such as vinyl, velvet, rubber, etc. that make up the protector provide greater friction and are therefore more coherent to hair than steel. And by adding a layer of compressionable material to the inside of the clip, space between the upper and lower arms that is unused is displaced and hair is more compact in the hair clip. This greater compact gives the hair clip a snugger fit to a broad range of hair thicknesses. This snugger fit in addition to the more coherent material is what provides a longer lasting fit.
Other objectives and advantages are that the hair clip inner protector can be made of different materials for different hair types and personal preferences. For example, people with thick hair could use the basic vinyl or thin velvet. Someone with thin hair might want to use one that is thicker or expands more, such as neoprene. Someone with extremely straight hair might want one made out of rubber, which is more gripping.
Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description.